The present invention relates generally to steam traps and, more specifically, to an instrument module for use with a steam trap that measures, for example, total steam flow and/or total condensate flow through a steam trap, and which further may be used to detect failure of the steam trap.
Steam traps for use on process steam systems are generally well known in the art. It is equally well known that many steam traps are prone to failure. When a steam trap fails in a closed position, condensate is trapped within the system, thus causing the outlet temperature of a process fluid to drop. Such temperature decreases are easy to monitor and detect, and thus it is relatively easy to detect when a steam trap has failed in the closed position.
However, it generally is not as easy to detect when a steam trap has failed in an open position. When a steam trap fails in the open position, live steam can be vented directly to the atmosphere through vent piping. The efficiency of the system may drop quickly, but the failure is generally not easy to detect based on variations in typical system parameters. Many such steam traps may be located in remote or difficult to access locations, and therefore may not be detected for some time. All the while, a failed steam trap venting live steam may negatively impact the overall operating efficiency of the process system.